Taoiseach: “It’s in nobody’s interest that we end up in a no-deal scenario”

The Taoiseach has said it’s in ‘absolutely nobody’s interest’ that we end up in a no-deal scenario at the end of the Article 50 negotiations on the UK leaving the European Union.

Leo Varadkar was speaking in Brussels on 29 June following ‘an important series of meetings’ of the European Council.

The rest of the European Council member states excluding the UK, known as EU 27, welcomed the ‘further progress’ made on parts of the legal text of the Withdrawal Agreement. However, leaders highlighted that ‘important aspects’ still need to be agreed.

Backstop

The 27 leaders expressed their concern that ‘no substantial progress’ had yet been achieved on agreeing a backstop solution for Ireland/Northern Ireland.

They also stressed that work had be ‘accelerated’ with a view to preparing a political declaration on the framework for the future relationship.

(European Council meeting (Pic: courtesy of European Council)

“Negotiations can only progress as long as all commitments undertaken so far are respected in full,” a statement said.

Finally, the European Council renewed its call upon member states, EU institutions and all stakeholders to ‘step up their work on preparedness at all levels and for all outcomes’.

The Taoiseach had said time is ‘running out’ for the Withdrawal Agreement to be concluded satisfactorily by the October European Council.

“The lack of progress in the negotiations on the Withdrawal Agreement has been very disappointing. We still need to see detailed proposals from the UK on how it intends to deliver on the clear commitments it made in December and March”.

The Taoiseach said that as President Juncker and President Tusk confirmed last week, if there is no agreement on a backstop, then it won’t be possible to finalise the Withdrawal Agreement as a whole, including the transition arrangements.

“The European Council has stated on repeated occasions that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. Meanwhile, our preparations and contingency planning continue in Ireland and are intensifying for all outcomes.”

No Deal

The Taoiseach told a press conference on 29 June that it is ‘in absolutely nobody’s interest that we end up in a no-deal scenario’.

“Britain and Ireland would have the most to lose from that, but all of Europe would lose as well,” he told reporters.

Frustration

Meanwhile, on Wednesday 27 June, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster heard from George Hamilton, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, on preparedness for Brexit and how day-to-day policing has been affected by the absence of the devolved institutions.

Mr Hamilton had raised concerns over the consequences of the UK no longer being a part of the European Arrest Warrant, and the cancellation of plans to sell three former police stations close to the border.

The Chief Constable said as there are so many ‘unanswered questions’ about the border, “and in light of the uncertainty, let’s press pause on these stations”. “We want rid of them,..they are a liability for us..but it will be foolhardy to dispose of them.”

“If we had somebody giving us some clear direction, co-ordination, guarantees if it’s not going to be physical infrastructure, does that mean enforced compliance checking, increased enforcement activity. If it does, where are these people going to come from?”

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